New Power for Manitoba Children's Advocate after Inquiry into 5-Year-Old's Death

Article excerpt

WINNIPEG - Manitoba's children's advocate will gain new powers next week to work on behalf of more young people and to make more of her findings public.

The Progressive Conservative government says portions of a law passed last year are to take effect March 15.

The changes expand the role of Daphne Penrose beyond child welfare to examine youth services in areas such as education, health and justice.

Another change will allow her to publicly release findings from her investigations into the deaths of children in government care.

The additional powers were recommended in 2013 by the inquiry into the death of Phoenix Sinclair, a five-year-old girl who was beaten to death by her mother and mother's boyfriend after social workers closed her file. …